Narrative of a Journal through Abyssinia in 1862-3. With an appendix on 'the Abyssinian Captives' Question.' Second edition

Appendix

ON " THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES QUESTION." By HENEY DUFTON. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 1867.

Preface

. My object in undertaking the journey into Africa, a portion of Avhich is described in the foUowing narrative, was to reach the Galla countries to the south of Abyssinia, and explore, as a field for Christianisation and future colonisation, the healthy highlands which native reports lead us to believe exist in that part of the African continent. This I intended doing either by way of the White Nile and Sobat, or the Blue Nile and Didhessa. The latter was the one ultimately chosen ; but having been robbed in the Bahiouda desert, and detained three months in Sennaar by the rains, I was at length obliged to relinquish the undertaking for the time being, and seek an outlet for home. I thus proposed the journey through Abyssinia.

PREFACE.

. VI As the general interest is now engaged in Abyssinia, I have thought it desirable, in order not to delay the reader, to start at Khartoum. I had already prepared a few chapters on the journey through Dongola and the Bahiouda desert to Khartoum ; but these, at the wish of my publishers and for the reason above stated, I have suppressed. This explanation is necessary to account for the abruptness with which the narrative begins. Not imagining that Abyssinia and its affairs would so soon assume importance, I took no notes on the journey ; but, on arrival at Aden, I gave my friends at home a brief account of my experiences ; and this, enlarged by fresh draughts on memory, I now present to the public. In the Appendix on the Abyssinian Question I have endeavoured to give a brief story of the captivity, and have also tried to present a view of the difficulties our expedition Avill have to encounter in the invasion of Theodore's territory.

I have also given my views as to the most practicable route for an army to reach his territory; but as I have no experience in military matters, I feel it behoves me to speak with diffidence on such subjects.

PREFACE.

. VII The map of Abyssinia, which faces the Title-page, is for the most part constructed from Dr. Beke's, and is given principally with the object of showing my route. The colouring is intended to distinguish between fertile (green) and desert (yellow) country ; where water is abundant, and where it is scarce. The sketch maps of my own route are simply drawn from memory, and consequently do not pretend to any great degree of accuracy ; but I think they are truthful as far as giving a general idea of the country passed through. HENRY DTJFTON. Streatham, September 26, 1867. CONTENTS. PAGE Map of Abyssinia . . . . To fact Title-page Sketch Map of Koute from Matammah to Debba Taboe 46 , , , , Debra Tabor to Massowah 189 Preface v CHAPTEE I. KHARTOUM TO MESELEMIEU. Departure from Khartoum — Myself and my donkey — Uncomfortable quarters — Arab greed — In the mud — A fellow-traveller — El-Islam in the Soudan — The Blue River — Tropical rains — Scorpions for bed-fellows — The Nuba tribes and Nubia — Experiences with my donkey — Kamnin — Eich fertility of the country — Arab hospitality — Adam's knife and fork — Amazons of East Africa— Arrival at Meselemieh . 1

Chapter II. Meselemieh To

WAX) MEDINEH. Meselemieh — Description of hut-building — Storks — Eastern scavengers — Neglect of sanitary precautions — Health breaks down — Sowing the maize — Music hath charms — Leave Meselemieh — Donkey again at fault — Ludicrous situation — A generous offer — A rule for acquiring patience — Arrival at Wad Medineh — Stopped by the rains — Description of Wad Medineh — Kingdom of Sennaar — Thunderstorms — My mode of living— Laid up CONTENTS. X PASE

Chapter III. Wad Medineh To Matammah

Leave Wad Medineh — Perry over Blue River — Aboo Harras — Decline of the town — Again in the desert — River Rahhad — A waste, howling wilderness — Prairies on fire — Thunderstorm — Water-cure — Hyenas — 'Arrival at Gedarif— Open-air market — Coptic hospitality — Attacks of ague — Move on — Incorrigible nature of my donkey — Rich country — Cotton plantations — Large doura — Bruce — Ras el Feel — Gallabat — The Tokruris — Matammah — Shum of the village — River Atbara — Rich flora — Hyena resurrectionists — Arrival of the French consul 28

Chapter IV. Matammah To Tchelga

Enter Abyssinia — Ill-defined frontier — The Switzerland of Africa— Earthly paradise — Slight adventu';e — River Coang — Wekhni — Abyssinian exclusiveness — Detention at Wekhni — Magnificent view — Teff — Again on the march — An European a raira avis — Custom-house authority — Abyssinian inhospitality — In nubibus — Cool climate — View of Lake Tsana — Enter Tchelga — Impudence of natives — Muscular Christianity 46

Chapter V. Tchelga To Gaffat

Detention at Tchelga — Bad accommodation — Tchelga and its market— Salt currency— Semi-incarceration — Neighbourhood of Tchelga— Iron and coal— Kolquol trees — Native clothing —Queer lawsuits — Get impatient — Visit to Balambaras CONTENTS. XI PAGE Guelmo — Beautiful country — Moslem village — The Guimb — Mountain fastness — Presentation to the chief — Our suit granted — A Christmas dinner — Return to Tchelga — Depart for Genda — Mr. Flad and the Falashas — Adopt the native costume — En route for Debra Tabor — Lake Tsana — Plains in rich cultivation — A truant spirit — Mount Tabor . . .59

Chapter VI. Gaffat

The Workmen's Mission — Bishop Gobat, Herr Spittler, and Dr. Krapf — Visit of inquiry — Maderakal — Satisfactory account — Departure of the Mission — Well received by the king — Road-making — Construction of mortars — Difficulties and failures — Final success and reward — Christian labours — Religion of Abyssinia — Abuna, or patriarch — Priests and monks — Churches and church decorations — Ludicrous paintings — Life, death, and judgment of a cannibal — Kissing the church — Feasts and fasts — Tecla Haimanot — The devil and the wonderful boa-constrictor — Estimate of Abyssinian character 77 CHAPTER VIT. DEBRA TABOR. German colony of Gaffat — Our kind welcome — Arrival of the king — My reception at' court — Description of his Majesty — Expert equestrian — Warlike preparations — Consuls in Abyssinia — A slight incident — Trial of mortars — Strange contrasts in King Theodore's character — Good qualities — Fondness for children— The King's Own — His reception of French consul — Indifference to presents — What the king thought of box-organs — Kind treatment of the author . . . .93 CONTENTS. PAGE

Chapter VIII. Debea Tabor

Theodore's history— Birth and parentage — Claims royal lineage —Claim disputed— Real name Kassa— The coming Theodore — Ambitious projects — A true patriot — A crusader — Has his fortune told — Mother sells kosso — He enters a convent — Escapes massacre — Enters the army — Attacks the Turks — Incites the jealousy of Waisero Menin — Defeats her army — Is defeated by the Turks — Fresh quarrel with 'the Waisero — Takes her prisoner — Becomes Dejage of Dembea — Defeated by Birru Goshu — Seeks safety in flight — Renews the attack — Kills Birru Goshu — Excites the fears of Ras Ali — Victory of Aichal — Conquers Gojam — Defeats Oubie — Is crowned king — Conquers the Wollo Gallas — Annexes Shoa — His leniency to the conquered ...... 112

CHAPTER VIII

(continued.) DEBRA TABOR. Theodore's schemes for the regeneration of Abyssinia — Arts of neace — Road-making — Reforms the law courts — Care of the poor — Corrects abuses in the church — Sequestrates ecclesiastical property — Forbids polygamy — Abolishes the slave trade — Enmity to Mohammedanism — His reforms opposed — Blindness of the nation — " Theodore the scourge of the perverse " — Rebellion of Gojam — Revolt of the Wollo Gallas — Pretension of Garad — Death of Plowden — Death of Bell — King's grief — His awful revenge — Account of Bell — Esteem of the king — Attachment to the English — Rebellion of Agow Negusie — His capture and cruel death — The empire re-united — Project against the Turks — Proposed embassy to England and France — Arrival of Captain Cameron — King's letter to the Queen — Rich presents CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 158

Chapter IX. Debra Tabor

King's departure for Wofferghef — Entertainment of the French consul — House-building — Excursions round Debra Tabor — River Reb — A picnic in Central Africa — Mount Gunna. — Longevity of Abyssinians — Mr. Bell's family — In the clouds — Building in Abyssinia — The Gallas and Falashas — Arts and manufactures — Case of Bouda— Ungentle specimen of the gentler sex — " Children of the Ass " — Abyssinian feast — Salutations — Tedge-drinking — A beefsteak au naturel .

Chapter X. Wofferghef

Set out for the king's camp — Town and mountain of Tabor — Garden of Africa — Arrival in camp — Wofferghef — An Abyssinian army — Military discipline — Departure of king for Gojam — My farthest south — Tadla Gualoo — Failure of king's expedition — Probable cause — Imprisonment of French consul — My preparations for leaving 17b'

Chapter XI. Debra Tabor To Adowa

Departure from Debra Tabor — River Reb and Mount Melza — Ebenat — Abyssinian inhospitality — Farewell to my donkey- Province of Bellesa — The Agows — Geology — Paroquets and monkeys — River Minna — Flora of Abyssinia — Snowy mountains of Simyen — Native customs — River Tecazze — Enter Tigre — Town of Tembyen — Nature of the country — Anecdote ofa donkey's tail — Arrival at Adowa — The second capital of Habesh — Abyssinian greed — Axum and its remains —Live ox eating CONTENTS. XIV CHAPTER Xn. ADOWA TO MASSOWAH. page Leave Adowa — Anarchy of Abyssinia — Geology of the country — Evidences of volcanic action — River Mareb — Variety of temperatures — Halai — Vermin — Jesuit missionaries — The Shoho tribes — Descent of the Taranta— An albino — Quarrel with the guide — Digging for water — Novel method of procuring fire — Bread-baking — Arrival at Arkeeko — First view of the Red Sea — News of Captain Cameron — Mkuiloo — Mr. Kerens — Massowah 207

Chapter XIII. Massowah To Aden

Departure from Massowah — Arab navigation — Appearance of Abyssinian coast — Arrival at Hodeida — Contrast of Japhetic and Shemitic races — Life in Hodeida — -Kef — Europeanized Turks — Ard cl- Yemen — Curious auction sale — Coffee and pipe — Leave Hodeida — Touch at Mocha — " Real Mocha Coffee " — Unpleasant adventure — Bab-el-Mandeb — Arab timidity — Arrival at Aden 226

APPENDIX.

. THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES QUESTION. I. Resume of Main Incidents 243 II. How to settle the " Question " . . • . . . . 280 HI. Comparison of the Practicable Routes for a Military Expedition to Central Abyssinia NAERATIVB OF A JOURNEY THROUGH ABYSSINIA.

Chapter I. Khartoum To Meselemieh

Departure from Khartoum — Myself and my donkey — Uncomfortable quarters — Arab greed — In the mud — A fellow-traveller — El Islam in the Soudan — The Bine River — Tropical rains — Scorpions for bedfellows — The Nuba tribes and Nubia — Experiences with my donkey — Kamnin — Rich fertility of the country — Arab hospitality — Adam's knife and fork — Amazons of East Africa- Arrival at Meselemieh. After about a month's stay at Khartoum, I began to think it time to move. The season was too late for boats to proceed up the Blue Eiver, so I had to adopt the land route along its bauks, and this I thought I might well do on foot; but as I still had a great weight of baggage, I was obliged to purchase a donkey for its B ABYSSINIA. 2 conveyance. These arrangements completed, and the animal loaded, I turned my face again southwards.

I was blown out of Khartoum in the same manner that I had been blown into it, for the rainy season, which was now (July) about setting in, is here always heralded by slight tornadoes. In order to cut a corner off I struck out at once into the desert which surrounds Khartoum, driving my donkey before me. There was no path, but I thought I knew suf ficiently the direction I ought to take to insure my not leaving the river at too great a distance. After advancing for some time, the approach of evening made me begin to fear that if I persisted in cutting off corners I might not arrive at a village before dark, so I turned towards a clump of trees in the distance, where 1 knew the river must be, and after about an hour reached the village of Gereff on its banks. Having got a man to assist me in unloading my donkey, I tied him to a tree. and then spread out my straw mat on the ground, and arranged the two cufas (panniers) at either end.

After a supper of bread and milk, I lay down for the night : but had scarcely got into my first doze, when I was awakened by the consciousness of feeling remark ably cold and uncomfortable. After dreamily arguing the matter in my own mind as to what it could possibly be which made me feel so uneasy, I at last came to the conclusion that it was neither more nor less than rain. When I had satisfied myself of the fact, my first move was to get underneath the bed, and this I managed by turning my straw mat into a coverlet, and lying down in the place where the bed ought to be. Not many coverlets, even when half an inch thick, as mine was, will stand torrents of rain, and the water soon appeared inside. I then made a move towards the side of a house a little sheltered from the wet, and had the cruelty to displace a number of goats quietly ensconced there, as I thought "the claims of humanity" the best.

This, however, was of no avail, for it rained more heavily there than anywhere, considering that each drop had a large pro portion of mud in it, gathered from the dusty roof. I now sought shelter elsewhere, but found none ; so after wandering about more than half tlie night, I coolly waited till morning. I spent part of the next day at the village, for the ground was too soft to proceed, and shot a few pigeons for the benefit of the man who entertained me. This fellow had an eye to business, and wanted to do a little barter with his Franjee visitor. In the first place, he ABYSSINIA. 4 wished to exchange his old knocked-up donkey for my own. As I had been taken in once with my donkey, he having what they call aliboob (which experience interpreted to me as short-winded), I thought I would keep clear of another worse bargain.

He then offered me an old female slave, in constitution very much like his donkey. He asked £1 for her, which, were it not that the poor creature was minus teeth, and had one foot in the grave, was perhaps not dear. In the afternoon I recommenced my journey, as the heat of the sun had dried up the road somewhat. Towards evening I came to the village of Soba; but when within a mile of it my poor fellow-traveller had the misfortune to stick in the mud, and, finding he could not extricate himself, quietly composed his limbs under him, and lay down. This was very awkward for me, for by myself I could, not get the load on to his back again, and there was nobody near to assist me. Moreover, the shades of night were drawing on, so there was nothing for it but to make up my mind to stop there. I fastened the poor beast to a bush, placed my baggage at the head of my bed, and my gun at my side, and lay down to sleep, not awaking till daylight.

Next day I was overtaken by an old Arab from Berber, whom, as he was travelling the same way as myself, and well acquainted with the road and people, I was very glad to join. At noon I had an interesting conversation with some Arabs, with whom we stayed during the midday heat. They wished me to repeat the Mohammedan creed, La illah iia, Allah wa Mo hammed er-rasool Allah. " There is no god but God," said I, and then stopped. "And Mohammed is the prophet of God," continued they. " That I cannot say," I replied, " for I don't believe Mohammed was the prophet of God." They were greatly shocked at this infidel sentiment, and commenced to argue the question in a manner pretty similar to that in which most persons at home would argue for the truths of Christianity — namely, by heaping assertion on assertion.

I asked them when I saw their bigotry of what religion they would have been had they been born in Europe, where all are Christians, or in Central Africa, where all are heathens, in neither of which countries do the generality of people know anything of Mohammed and his doctrines. They were silent, and only one granted he would have been what he had been brought up to. I went farther, and told them to refer back to their own past history when they were heathens, and how they ABYSSINIA. became Mohammedans ; and, to refresh their memory, said that when the sword was at their throat, and they were told to say La illah, &c, or die, they preferred to live, and said it ; and that if the French, who had once got a footing in Egypt, had come as far as to them and spread Christianity at the edge of the sword, they would have turned Christians also.

I said, " You know nothing about the Holy Book of the Christians, and yet you condemn me as a kas er and Nazarene dog for believing in it ; what you've to do is to compare the Kitab el Makudus (Bible) with the Koran, and seek for the truth ; this I have done for myself, and believe the Christian to be the superior religion." They really assume to believe in the Bible, stating however that we have corrupted it. They often repeat a verse, including what they consider the four holy books : Et Toorat betaa Moosa . . . The Law of Moses. El Muzmoor betaa Daood . . . The Psalms of David. El Engeel betaa Eesa .... The Gospel of Jesus. El Koran betaa Mohammed . . The Koran of Mohammed. They say that the prophet whom Moses said "the Lord God would raise up like to himself" was En-Nebee Mohammed. I have asked them sometimes whom they consider greatest, Jesus or Mohammed.

Most have said Mohammed, but some few say Jesus. They believe that Jesus will come at the end of this age, and destroy the Christians and heathen, but spare and bless the Moslemeen. They also believe in a great persecutor of the Mohammedans to arise in the latter day, whom Christ is to destroy at His coming. They hate the Jews much more than the Christians, though Judaism ap proaches much nearer El Islam than Christianity can do. I was much amused by one who asserted that the ourang-outangs were a tribe of Jews who had been changed by the Almighty into that shape for their unbelief. This is rather reversing Darwin's theory. The banks of the Blue Nile are richly clothed with vegetation. The land is much cultivated, the produce supporting a dense population as well as supplying Khartoum and other markets.

Doura or maize is the principal cereal. The rainy season seemed now to have fully set in, and scarcely a day would pass without a heavy shower. In one of these we were caught when we were within a quarter of a mile from a house ; but nothing would induce the donkeys to face the pelting storm, which was blown from the direction in which we were proceeding. Immense numbers of small locusts were driven by the ABYSSINIA. wind into our faces, which, with the heavy rain, made us as well as our beasts glad to seek the shelter of some trees. We unloaded the donkeys, and squatted down behind the baggage, covering ourselves with the large straw mat. The storm, however, did not abate, so that we were completely soaked ; the water running down us even filled our shoes. But with whatever amount of fortitude we put up with our lot, we could not compare it with the stoic endurance of our beasts.

Twitching their four legs up underneath their bellies in a manner which put one in mind of the conjuror's goat standing on the neck of a bottle, and tucking their tails in be tween their hind legs, they turned their backs to the storm, and never budged throughout the whole of its continuance, though it lasted more than an hour. The extensive plain over which we had been proceeding appeared like one vast lake, and objects at the shortest distance were perfectly concealed from view by the descending torrents. Upon its ceasing, the old man, who was a woodsman, drew out a hatchet, and began getting at the dry interior of a decayed tree near at hand, with which we had soon made a good roaring fire, that enabled us to dry our clothes and procure a good hot cup of coffee. By drying the wet branches of the trees near the fire we had sufficient fuel to keep it alive all night, for we had made up our minds to sleep there, the donkeys not being able to walk in the mud.

I slept soundly enough, but scarcely should have done so had I known what I found out in the morning — that three scorpions had been my bed-fellows. The largest was an ugly fellow four inches long, and I found him in the very folds of my blanket. We found the road very bad after the rain, and I often had to walk barefoot in the mud. This was better than continually leaving your shoe at the bottom of a deep hole, and being obliged to fish it out with your hand. We passed in succession the villages of Gedid, Nuba, Masid, and Eltie. Gedid, like many other Newtowns (for such it means) which could be mentioned, seems now getting pretty old. It has a market twice a week. The name of Nuba is possibly a relic of the great Nuba people, who gave the name of Nubia to the country south of Egypt, the remains of whom in addition to the present inhabitants of that country may also probably be traced in the Nuba, who now occupy a small tract opposite jSennaar, and the Noba or Nuba tribes to the south of Kordofan.

Masid and Eltie have semi-weekly markets, and the former contains a mosque. ABYSSINIA. 10 At Eltie I bade good-bye to my companion, after having been five days in his company. I had now to proceed alone, and had occasion the next evening to wish my old friend with me again, for my donkey took it into his head, though we were near a village, to cry " Hold, enough !" and squat down in the middle of a dark wood. Though no doubt very wrong, I must confess that on such occasions I was strongly inclined to indulge in Macbeth's charitable wish on him who should utter the above exclamation, and I even did vent my wrath in a few expletives in the animal's native Arabic. I was thus compelled again to sleep out of doors ; but this I should not have minded had not the people now begun to talk of lions and hyenas, which made me feel somewhat timid.

Fear, however, eventually gave way to sleep, and I was told next morning that my apprehensions had been groundless, for there were no wild animals in that neighbourhood. The succeeding day I reached Kamnin, the largest and most important place since leaving Khartoum. A great quantity of soap is manufactured here, which is much cheaper than the European quality, but not so good. As I proceeded I began to perceive a marked change in the nature of the vegetation which clothes the side of the river. A greater variety of trees with long creeping cactus plants hanging from their branches, and a corresponding greater number and variety of birds, now took the place of the general desolation of the lower Nile countries ; and as the occasional storms of thunder and lightning only tended to make the air cooler and more salubrious, I began now to enjoy my walk with as great a relish as if it had been along the banks of the Bhine instead of within the tropics.

I took it very easy in this district, seldom doing more than ten miles a day. The only drawback was the incorrigible nature of my donkey, who would persist in continually lying down in the middle of the road, sometimes making me wait an hour or two for some passer-by to help me reload again. On leaving Kamnin I got into the wrong path, which took me into the middle of a wood almost impenetrable from the closeness of the thorny trees. But this was not the worst, for in addition the soil was so soft we could scarcely proceed, and in the end the poor beast sank down the whole length of his legs ; I literally had to dig him out. Finding I could not proceed by that route, I returned to the nearest village and ABYSSINIA. spent the night there. I never had any difficulty in finding accommodation at any of these villages, for Arab hospitality is proverbial.

Indeed, there is in most of them a hut set apart for this very purpose, in which every wayfaring man is at liberty to stay as long as he may think proper. In some of them a number of white boards are hung up, on which persons who have passed any time there signify the same and testify their grati tude. I was so pleased with the custom that I could not forbear on one occasion doing the same, and wrote a few words to the following effect in Arabic : "Henry Dufton, a Christian fakeer (poor traveller), spent one night here. He renders thanks to God for the existence of such houses as these." Not only is accommodation thus kindly given, but the simple food of the people is also freely granted. It generally consists of a kind of porridge, called lukmeh, made of doura flour, which is served in a wooden bowl.

Over it is poured a thick sticky sauce, made from melookyeh or barmieh, in which occasionally a httle meat is found. The latter is generally goat's flesh dried in the sun, and afterwards rubbed into a powder. With the very poorest these additions are luxu ries, and the lukmeh is only seasoned by salt dissolved in warm water. The bowl in which it is placed stands in the middle of the floor, and around it squat the whole company, whose first movement is to tuck up the sleeve ; the second, to plunge the hand into the soft mass ; the third, to bring it out full ; the fourth, to form what they have taken out into a large pellet ; and the fifth, to drop that pellet into the mouth. Then, da capo. I at first had some difficulty in acquitting my self honourably in these exercises, and my awkwardness would sometimes induce a smile from the rest; but practice soon makes perfect.

On the whole, however, when I could purchase bread or milk I much pre ferred it. I was not particular what kind of milk it might be — cow's, goat's, or camel's, all came in acceptable. The following day my road lay in the direction of a place called Hellewain (literally " two villages "), and I passed on the road another, called Eftah el bab (Open the door). As there was to be a market at the former I overtook many women proceeding to make purchases, who carried each a long double-edged sword, in order to protect themselves against robbers on the way. Few persons in these parts travel without some means of defence, and with the villagers the weapons gene- ABYSSINIA. rally consist of a long gun or sword. They wear also a small knife on the arm, just above the elbow, though this is rather for convenience than protection.

The arms of the wandering Arabs are the spear and shield, and a group of these people form a very interest ing sight to an European. On one occasion, not suc ceeding in reaching a village before dark, I spent the night in one of their encampments. It was in a retired part of a wood, and consisted of a number of black tents, which contained also their wives and families. I believe they lead this life here in order to avoid Turkish taxation. They are breeders of camels. The above means of protection are not the only ones carried by the people. They put much confidence in the value of charms, which generally consist in portions of the Koran, fastened up in small rolls of leather and suspended on the neck and arms. Little children have sometimes large bunches dangling from their necks, which would probably weigh a pound or two.